The Accursed
by Makami
Summary: After Born Again... Three months have passed since it was decided that Kotarou would take care of Misha. But now the pink haired angel seems to be getting sick. Can she be saved before it's too late? Dropped; I hope to resume it one day.
1. Chapter 1

Don't hurt me, but I thought that getting this up and finished first would be a better idea. Who here remembers _Born Again_? The story I wrote, 5 chapters, about Misha losing her memory 'n stuff? Well, finally, here's the sequel to it. (There's an obvious pairing of Miya and a cetrain blondie... guess who?)

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* * *

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**The Accursed  
**Chapter One

Three months had passed since the angel known as "Sasha" had read a decree from something called the "PTB", concerning her future in the Human Realm. Whenever Miya stopped to think about that she surprised herself. It felt as though a lot less time had passed than that, like for whatever reason time had just sped up without warning and suddenly she was jolted into next week.

"Hey, Miya-san, Higuchi-san is here to pick you up!" her boss, and owner of the Café tricot, called from the other room.

Looking up from her task at hand, Miya smiled broadly and called back, "that you, Sir! I'll be out in a minute!"

Though the PTB had decided that she would live in the Human Realm for the time being, they had been sloppy in getting her set up. Yes, they got her back into her old apartment, but it was unfurnished and none of her belongings were transferred over for at least a month and a half; they got the basics of her papers and I.D. set, but never told her if she would be attending school or not.

During those uneasy months there had been more attacks against angels, all resulting in deaths, and the angels in Heaven were scared. That was what was making the process so sloppy. And she didn't feel like she could hold that over them; for a long time, she was scared, too.

So instead of school—Takashi and Koboshi both agreed with Kotarou that she would have been graduated—she was set up with a waitressing-slash-dishwashing job at the tricot. Takashi pulled it in as a favour with his uncle to help her out. And she liked the job, too. She enjoyed working with the people, and with her boss, Kosuke Ayanokoji.

Kosuke was a friendly man who enjoyed reminiscing and laughing about 'the old days', even if they really weren't that old at all. He made her feel welcome immediately, and often told her stories about her antics as "Misha" within the café.

She finished drying the last dish and placed it in the safety of the cabinet. She happily burst out of the kitchen and into the diner, eager to see Kotarou. He was sitting at the front counter, talking to Takashi and Kosuke. He was smiling and drinking. He looked so happy that it brought a smile to her face.

"Yo, Miya-chan!" Takashi greeted her, raising his glass of water towards her. He then gave her his usual greeting, "Lookin' good, girl."

She bowed her head a little and gave her usual reply, "Thank you, Taka-kun."

"If you're done those dishes, Miya-san, you can go home now," Kosuke offered. He appeared to be washing a glass from the bar, himself. "You've had a busy day. Go home a rest."

"Oh, yes sir," she replied with a smile, "I will."

Still smiling, she danced over to Kotarou, who still had yet to greet her. He smiled coldly at her before standing up and causally motioning for her to follow him outside. He hadn't said anything yet, and that was a bad sign. He was almost always so warm, and he always gave her a hug when he first saw her. If he didn't, it meant that he was angry or upset with her. She felt a little uneasy knowing that he was about to go off on her.

"Um, Kotarou-kun, wait for me!" she called after him. She took a moment to turn back and wave to the other two men. "Kosuke-san, Taka-kun, I'll see ya! Su."

"See ya, Miya-chan!" she heard Takashi call after her.

Miya snatched her winter jacket from the coat rack and ran out after Kotarou. Immediately she was glad that she was putting it on as the cold air and wind began an all out assault on her. She shivered, and easily caught up to Kotarou, who actually hadn't waited for her.

He was mad at her. She had no idea why, but he clearly was upset. With her.

"Kotarou-kun..." she said softly once she caught up to him and catched his unusually fast pace. "Are ya mad at me?"

"What gives you that impression?" he replied, his voice as cold and bitter as the winter wind.

She frowned deeply at that. In the cafe he seemed so happy. Now he was cold and angry and moody, and as she racked her mind for an answer, she came up with only one thing: the beginnings of a headache.

Looking away she said, "nevermind then." She snuck a glance at her watched and added, "it's almost ten-thirty. Su."

"So?"

"So, there's something I wanted to pick up," she explained. That much was true. She had made plans to pick up a book from her favourite book store that night. She'd put it on order a few weeks before, and recieved the call for it's arrival just before she set off for work.

A tired sigh escaped Kotarou. "Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

Miya shook her head.

"Nuh-uh. I made a promise to show up tonight." She gave him a smile when he frowned deeply at her. "Don't worry, I can get there on my own. You've still got homework, right? It'll be okay."

Kotarou stopped walking. Miya stopped a few steps later. He was quiet for a long while, staring at her the whole time. He didn't seem angry anymore. A little concerned, but not angry.

"Why didn't you tell me that you fainted?"

"Fainted?" she repeated, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice. _That's it... Sasha-san told him..._

"Don't play stupid with me, Misha," he growled, taking a step towards her. "You're pushing yourself! Day and night you just keep pushing and pushing until you collapse!"

Miya crossed her arms over her chest. Anotehr factor decided by the PTB was that Kotarou, in order to fulfill his job as her guardian, was that he needed to see angels again. He agreed. The ability to see teh "supernatural" was thus returned to Kotarou Higuchi, and Sasha kept in contact with him.

But they always discussed matters that concerned her, and never let her become involved.

"Like I told Sasha-san, I'm _fine_," she nearly yelled. "It was nothing! You guys worry way too much about me!"

That was all the fire she had at that moment. She knew that fainting in her apartment, with only Sasha around--who could do nothing to help her--_was_ a big deal, and she couldn't just make nothing out of it. She had also neglected to tell Kotarou about it, and he'd obviously been hoping, trusting, that she would. And then there was the fact that they also were working endlessly on a cure for her curse, and she was always ungrateful. It was hard to stay mad at someone when they did so much for you.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, looking away. "I just didn't want to worry you."

"Well you did," he snapped. He paused, seeming to hesitate, and walked up towards her. "I know you didn't mean to worry me, Misha, but you have to tell me when those things happen. Otherwise I have to worry. I'll think 'What else isn't she telling me?'"

She nodded slowly. "I know, Kotarou-kun, I know... I just..." She looked up at him, feeling as though her heart was being crushed. _You'd wonder why, and I can't tell you._

She bounced up to him and giggled, as if recovered from the arguement. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly. She closed her eyes and sighed against his neck.

"I don't want you to worry about those things, Kotarou-kun," she told him. "If Sasha-san finds a cure, then I'll have to leave you. I... I don't want to leave you, Kotarou-kun."

"Misha..." he replied, sounding as though he might cry. His arms slowly wrapped around her waist and he hugged her hard to his body, as if letting go wouldn't be an option. "We'll always be together."

She pulled back, just enough to give him a smile. "You go home and finish your homework. I'll check in when I get back."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, then hesitated, and closed his mouth again. He rested his forehead against hers and nodded slightly.

"Okay."

She smiled, then kissed him lightly.

"I'll see you soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Accursed  
**_Chapter Two_

After their "fight", they hugged and kissed, then parted their ways. Miya was happy just to have settled their dispute. Sort of, anyways. She knew what was bothering Kotarou now, and she could do her best to find a new solution. Her last brilliant idea--the "don't tell him you're feeling sick" plan--just seemed to piss him off and he would worry even more.

But all of that could wait until later. She had a much more pressing matter to address. Her reasoning for wanting to go to the bookstore had not been an entire truth. It hadn't been a lie, either, because she really did have a book on hold, and someone was waiting up for her. But the whole truth was that _he_, the man that was waiting up for her, held the promise of something much more important than any book: her--no, Misha's lost memories. The only condition was that she didn't tell either Kotarou or Sasha.

After all, they wouldn't approve of her working so closely to a demon, right?

"Aah..." she sighed. She raised her arms towards the sky and stretched as hard as she could, as if by will alone she would be able to touch the night sky.

She looked up with a sorrowful expression on her face. The sky was dark with storm clouds, the cold nipped at her face, but id she could fly like Sasha could, then she would have gladly spent the rest of the night up there, promise to Kotarou or not. The sky was so vast and seemed to offer her a freedom that her heart desired. A memory from Misha flickered in her mind:

_She was flying high above the city, and Kotarou was in her arms. He was scared, but she wasn't. She was excited. Below, in the city and through glass windows, she could see happy families settling down for the evening. She felt happy, too._

Miya was suddenly back on the city street, alone and Earth-bound. She had been all alone, but the illusion that she wasn't had been welcomed. Until she was disturbed, that was.

"You look like an idiot just standing there."

Miya jumped at the voice. She didn't even have to look for the one that had spoken to her. He was standing practically at her side, and wore an expression that clearly told her to drop her arms.

She did.

Smiling nervously, she took a step back away from him. "I thought that you'd be waiting at the bookstore..."

A gentle breeze passed by them, ruffling his blond hair, his long black cloak, and the red ribbon that was tied loosely around his neck. His body was perfectly still, as if all life had left it and he was a corpse that was magically standing on its own. _Like a zombie,_ she remembered the word. _A beautiful zombie..._

"You're late," the blonde replied after a long moment of silence. He sighed softly.

"Washing dishes took longer that usual tonight. Plus, Kotarou was late, and I had to get rid of him, too," she explained. She mimicked his sigh, but sounded more frustrated. "And we fought." She looked down and away. "It hasn't exactly been my night, Klaus-san."

She felt the weight of his gaze fall upon her. It sent shivers down her spine, and not in a good way. His icy lilac eyes almost hurt her. She realized that that was what had woken her from the memory.

"You're dressed rather stupidly for winter," he commented harshly. He walked up to her and wrapped a flowing black cloak around her shoulders. It just barely missed the ground, and if was warm. He'd probably had it in his arms all along, but this was the first time that she had noticed it. "You're not a damn angel anymore."

Another sigh escaped her as she shook her head at him.

* * *

It was after eleven o'clock at night and Misha was wandering the streets, all on her own. Yes, _Misha._ Despite all of her claims and insisting, to Kotarou, Misha was always Misha, not "Miya". Memories or not, she was still his angel Misha. But to her face, to make her happy, he tried to remember to call her by the name she chose.

However, it was Sasha that was most alarmed by Misha's choice of actions. She was even most worried about the "split personality" that the curse had created. The reaction was one of a kind, and in a frighteningly literal sense. Every other angel that was cursed had died. Cursed, forced to be human, then death. It was a horrible and fearsome death for an angel.

_But why_, he noted with the same curiosity he always possessed when thinking on the subject, _is mortality worse than death? Why do angels fear being human more than their own demise?_

Kotarou abruptly realized that he had been standing in front of his apartment door for a while. He even had his keys pulled out and held to the lock, but the door was still locked. He'd been so spaced out that he didn't even realize that he was home.

He was worried about Misha. There was no doubt about that. She was meeting some man she hardly knew, and he knew the man even less. And only a few days ago she had fainted in her apartment, with only Sasha to watch over her. It was against his better logic to let her go.

He hoped he wouldn't regret that.

* * *

There was something about Klaus that Miya had instantly liked. She had no idea what it was, but she liked it, even if he _was_ a dangerous demon. Actually, he was everything she had come to expect out of demons after hearing Sasha talk about them, but then there were so many things about him that contradicted the lessons. If you earned his respect, Klaus could be considerate, and even to some degree he was nice to you. But most of all, it was his reason for being there, for wanting to help her find and destroy the demon that had cursed her, that had won her over.

Once upon a time, Miya had been an angel. Pink haired, bouncy, bubbling, loud and annoying—those were but a few of Klaus's choice words for Misha. Now she was under a demon's curse, which had apparently created a split personality that hid her angelic persona from the world. However, this in itself was not a permanent arrangement, because if the demon wanted, it could summon Misha out, and force Miya back. In a sense, she was a doll used for him amusement.

Well, that was what they had determined. Miya knew that Sasha and Kotarou were working on other theories, but she wasn't being let in on any of them. Maybe if she knew then they could figure out how to remove the curse from her. It would make sense to have both an angel's and a demon's view on the matter, wouldn't it?

"I want him dead."

As usual, Klaus was good at bringing her out of her own thoughts. He did that often, with either his voice or his piercing gazes.

"But it's not that simple, right?" They had had this discussion many times before about the demon that had cursed her.

A curse such as the one that this demon was spreading would surely demand a great deal of power, all of which had to be demonic; if any of it were angelic, that would neutralize the energy. But no living demon had that kind of power, and to gain it, it would take centuries, millenniums of training for that specific spell, alone. That she knew simply because Klaus had told her, and she trusted him to tell her the truth.

But, and that was a very big _but_, there was one very, very fast way to gain such power: absorb the demonic energy of the deceased demons and half-bloods. It was a forbidden practice among demons because even they respected their dead. From what Miya could tell, just about every form of life had some respect for the dead. Why should they be any different?

A look that Miya didn't much trust, much less like, passed over his face. Pain. Even if they could stop the demon, there was no promise that they could save the essence of the demons that he had devoured. They could very well and truly be lost in his dark soul forever. And that demon had desecrated the grave of someone that Klaus held dear, and stole whatever was left of her away. His reasons for wanting to see the demon dead were justified, she thought.

"Do you really think that I'm important to this demon?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"You are the only one that he did not drain dry," Klaus replied. "The others he used to sustain himself. There must be an important reason."

Well, that made sense. Enough that she wished that she could remember some of Misha's last moments. _Why is it that I'm still causing these problems?_


	3. Chapter 3

**TheAccursed   
**Chapter Three 

"I suppose that I should allow you to return home now," Klaus spoke up.

"Oh... yeah," Miya agreed, her voice soft, eyes distant. She had no idea what the time was, but she guessed that having a leisurely walk with Klaus was not very quick. Kotarou was probalby waiting up for her. She had yet another fight to look forward to.

"Is... something wrong?"

She glanced up at Klaus. The blond demon was staring off somewhere ahead of them, a bored expression on his face. Even though he had asked he, he didn't look concerned in the least. It was a practiced expression, years of training himself to show no weakness to the dangers in his life, or so she guessed. More than likely, if one showed weakness, other, stronger demons would destroy them...

He was so unlike her. Everyone knew when and why she was feeling anything. She couldn't help that about herself.

"Yeah, I'm annoyed," she replied. From the corner of her eyes she watched for his reaction; his face did not even flicker.

"If you're waiting for me to look worried about you, do not hold your breath," he said harshly. "I showed nothing for Shia when she passed. I will not waste anything on you."

"Then don't expect me to answer," she huffed.

This was more than silly. She was just in a bad mood and instead of taking it out on the one she was upset with, she was taking it out on Klaus for a reason that didn't make any sense. And this wasn't the first time that they had had a fight over this matter, either. Every time she was in the middle of a fight with Kotarou, she picked at him.

But proving to herself that she could be a bitch never helped her feel any better.

"If you wish not to speak about it, I will not press the issue," he said.

Miya sighed. Heavily. "I'm sorry."

"You are under a great deal of stress right now. I understand that," he said softly. You care for that mortal, just as your former self did, even if not to the same extent. You are enjoying living as you are now, but feel guilty because in order to keep it, you must keep Misha under the surface. But should they succeed and Misha returns, then you will die."

She nodded slowly. She hated hearing about what would happen to her if Misha could be successfully brought back. The curse had done more than simply erase her memories as Misha, it had done so much more... but she couldn't place it. In the back of her mind she had the nagging suspicion that Klaus knew what that was. In fact, she was almost certain of that, because when they had bumped into one another, he hadn't called her Misha...

"But the problem isn't all of that right now," Miya said quickly. "Completely unrelated... and things aren't going so well..."

"It's because of me that you fainted in front of that 'super-angel'." He said _angel_ as if it was a bad thing. "So she went and told Higuchi, while you tried to hide it. He waited you out, but couldn't, and confronted you. He was probably furious by then. And though you've been trying to tiptoe around de--sorry, trouble, it keeping finding its way to you." He sucked in a deep breath. "Have I missed anything?"

"You must follow me around," she laughed. He knew perfectly what he troubles were. If she hadn't been so flattered that he could tell, she might have been seriously concerned.

"Sometimes." His face was still pleasantly bland. She could not tell it he was just teasing or not. She let the subject drop.

"Miya, do you think you can still help me hide?" he asked. She could have sworn that he sounded worried. But that was so unlike Klaus, she was sure that she was just imagining it.

"Yup." She gave him one of her best smiled. "Just wait until I finish talkin' to Kotarou, 'kay? Su!"

"Fine."

Klaus pushed something at her. It was a flimsy black bag wrapped around something hard, like a present would be wrapped. Visible in the dim streetlight was the image of a single red rose, and the word "Crossroads" written in gold cursive lettering.

"Don't worry about paying me back."

She smiled, knowing without having to look inside the bag, that he had just given her the book she was supposed to pick up.

"Thanks."

* * *

Miya was not sure which was colder: outside in the winter air, or inside, having to face down the icy glare that Kotarou giving her. She'd almost turned tail and ran for her apartment when he answered his door. Even though he hadn't spoken a word, she knew from his expression that she had a lecture in store for her. She had already heard all of his lectures before, and this was one that she could do without hearing again.

Hearing it once a day was more than enough.

"Well, I'm back, Kotarou-kun!" she announced, though obviously did not have to. "Su."

His look softened, and he bent over to close his mathbook. He said nothing.

"Um, I'm gonna head home now," she continued, stumbling over her words. He just nodded. She stood where she was for a moment longer, staring at him, worried. He wanted to say something to her, she could tell, so why wasn't he?

WIthout another word she turned and walked towards the door. He didn't follow her, didn't walk her out and wish her 'sweet dream'. Usually he did, even if they were fighting. But this time all that she could feel was the weight of his eyes on her back as she walked away.

She hated it.

_He must be really mad at me..._ She fought the urge to go back and ask him what was wrong. Was that Misha? Was the reason she wanted to go back and smother him in so much affection really Misha's feelings?

She opened the front door and walked out silently. She closed the door as softly as possible.

"Why don't I get it?" she asked softly. "Why do I screw up so much?"

"You are the sort of angel that never does things right. You always have been like that, I think," Klaus' voice was low, trying to hide from Kotarou. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "But the effect never seemed to be so... serious. Everything worked out for you. I was annoyed by that, but Shia... she liked that about you..."

* * *

Kotarou waited for the door to click shut before he turned around to face the balcony windows. When he did, Sasha suddenly appeared, and phased through them. Her face was as serious as he felt. Maybe he wore that expression on his face, too, without even knowing it. That would definitely explain why Misha seemed so nervous around him.

But Misha was definitely hiding something from him. How could he relax when he knew that?

At the beginning, Misha seemed to be doing well. She was slowly regaining her memories, and with Sasha's guidance she had even begun to use her angelic powers again. But then, one day, she just stopped trying. She distanced herself from both Sasha and himself, and closed off the way back.

"I'm worried about that girl," Sasha sighed.

"Sasha-san... do you think that maybe it's the demon that's interferring?" he asked. He couldn't help but sound a little hopeful. If it was the demon causing these problems, and not Misha, then he knew for sure that she still loved him.

"Anything's possible Kid," she replied. She didn't sound nearly as hopeful.

Both were quiet for a moment. Kotarou was frustrated with the situation he was in. He wanted to be able to support Misha, but she was resisting him as her guardian, as someone who loved her dearly and worried about her. The more he worried for her, the more she pushed him away. Then he worried more about her, and she tried harder to cover up everything that was wrong, and then they were steps further back from where they had begun. He was getting tired, and angry.

"I'm heading back up then," Sasha announced, sighing heavily as she turned towards the windows. "I'll be back in a few days, your time."

"All right."

He didn't watch as the blond angel left, but he could still feel it. The warmth that Sasha brought with her faded quickly, leaving his usually cold.

"We're all hiding things from each other, aren't we?" a soft, bored-sounding voice commented. The voice was accompanied by a bone-chilling breeze.

Kotarou turned around slowly to face the image of his former self. It was the demon that had taken Misha from him, in what appeared to be his favourite form: Kotaroh. He probably used it to torment Misha, somehow, and she being who she was now simply kept that hidden.

The demon also came by to bother him, visiting more often than Sasha did.

"What do you want?" he growled, balling his hands into fists. "Get out."

"Kotarou, Kotarou, Kotarou," the demon playfully sang his name while shaking his head. "You should be happier to see me."

"What. Do. You. Want?" Kotarou repeated, forcing each word through clenched teeth.

"Want?" the demon laughed as though Kotarou ws being silly. "I want what I've always wanted. What _you_ want."

"I never wanted this to happen to her,' he said softly, though his voice dripped with vemon. "This isn't what I wanted. It's hurting her..."

The demon shrugged. He did not look too interested in what Kotarou had to say. Or maybe it was an overall boredom in everything in his life. Kotarou could recall the same, though a bit angrier, look on the mysterious blond-haired demon that had watched over Shia a few years back.

"I meant safe," the demon corrected him. "I want her to be safe." He shook his head and ran a hand through his light brown hair, laughing softly. "I can't believe how strong this kid's emotions are..."

Kotarou simply stood his ground and glared at the demon. The first time that he had men the demon was after he had cursed Misha, that night when she had snuck out to go back to the park. He had told him that she was up to something. And for a moment he had gotten a glimpse of Misha, the real Misha, that night. Time and time again the demon proved that protecting Misha was his intent, and that he couldn't pass up the chance for playing mind games in the process.

Kotarou's defenses were always on high when the demon was around, good intentions or not. With the exception of Shia, he did not think any demon was trustworthy.

The demon growled lowly. Kotarou flinched.

"She's been playing some dangerous games with a demon, y'see," he explained. "And I want that to stop. _Now_."

* * *

It's funny. When I wrote this, I didn't pick up on how much it almost sounds like they're working together in that last scene--I did when I was typing. But at this point, I'm not done writing the story, so just maybe it is... eh? 


	4. Chapter 4

**The Accursed  
**Chapter Four

"Morning...?"

Miya's eyes fluttered open. Her room was filled with early morning light. The curtains billowed peacefully on a wind that came in through the open window. She blinked, then smiled, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. It was a beautiful morning, and she could lay there for as long as she wanted, because her shift did not start until some time that afternoon.

_I never understood that about humans._

She gasped and sat up quickly, making sure that she held the warm blanket up to her shoulders. It was as white as the t-shirt that she'd worn to bed, making them blend together. And despite the fact that she was wearing the shirt, the urge to cover herself up was rather strong.

"Wh-What do you mean?" she questioned, feeling a light blush warm her cheeks. The moment felt so usually personal for her, she could not even meet the cold gaze of his golden eyes.

Klaus was sitting perfectly upright, starign pointedly at the window. He was possessing the body of a silver tabby at that moment. A small bell hung around it's neck on a black ribbon. He had taken that form--or rather, possessed the body of the deceased animal, to help hide himself. It was a special 'gift' that he had been born with, she understood, after he took a great deal of time to explain it to her.

_You had such a gentle smile,_ he explained. _And for what? The wind that you cannot even see? I never understood that... Shia smiled that same way sometimes. Such a gentle, human smile..._

"Klaus-san..." she said softly, now looking at him. _He really did love Shia-san..._

_Nothing to be done about it,_ he said finally.

He got up on all fours and stretched the way that all cats do: making sure that every last inch of his body was stretched out, flicked, and ready to move, even if that ony meant turning in a circle and settling back down. And he did, curling up into a loose ball. But now he looked at her with his cat eyes.

_You have any chicken or fish?_

She smiled. And laughed.

"One or the other is bound to just be laying around the kitchen. Lemme get dressed and I'll make you something."

* * *

Kotarou yawned as he poured himself a cup of hot coffee. He did not normally drink the bitter liquid--it was around for when his father actually came home--but he was going to make an exception now. He had not slept well, much less _at all_, and he needed something to keep him awake through the school hours ahead.

He yawned again, making a meager attempt at covering his mouth this time.

_Last night was horrible,_ he thought with growing dread. He knew that it was going to be difficult to talk to Misha after his own actions the night before, but now, with those words hanging over his head... _What was that guy talking about, anyways?_

_"She's been playing dangerous games with a demon, y' see. I want that to stop. _Now

Kotarou closed his eyes and shook his head. The demon's words echoed in his mind as if it was an empty cavern and someone just screamed. Those words had been bothering his all night long. Why had the demon told him that? And if it was a real problem, then why didn't he just take care of it himself? He was obviously strong enough to.

Unless he couldn't. Was it someone or something more powerful than him? Was that possible? And what did it was from Misha? What was she doing with it? Why?

What would she be doing near a demon?

So suddenly, when everything seemed to be going well, and she was on the brink of recovering her memories, she had pulled away. Was that why?

Questions without answers ran around his head. He knew nothing but one thing for certain: Misha had withdrawn herself from her sister and from himself, and as farfetched as the scenerio seemed, that was also the most reasonable answer. It was possible, wasn't it? It made all the sense in the world, because, if it was not true, then he had to believe that she just wanted to be away from him.

"Kotarou-kun? Are you home?" Misha's voice jarred him from his thoughts. He had almost forgotten that they had switched copies of their apartment keys for emergency situations. "I... think I did miss him..."

He left the kitchen and peered down the front hall. There the pink-haired woman was standing, half-in-half-out of the apartment. At first she looked confused, but when she noticed him, her face lip up and she gave him the biggest smile that he had ever seen since she lost her memories. She even giggled and waved to him.

"I didn't think that I missed you, but then nobody answered when I knocked." Still smiling, she opened the door just enough that she could slip in. She was hiding something behind her back. "I thought I'd better check, just in case, and, um... Well, I just wanted to say good morning to you before you left for school!"

"Good morning," he said, hoping that the effort he put into keeping his voice indifferent, uninterested, did not show. He took anothersip of his coffee.

Apparently he succeeded. She giggled again, a high-pitched sound that was thick with uneasiness. She fidgeted in place.

"G-Good morning, Kotarou-kun."

He stared at her for a long while, trying to decide whether to ask her what was wrong or not. She seemed uncomfortable enough to begin with. If he asked if she was hanging around a demon, there was no guarantee that thigns would go very well. Actually, it was guaranteed to go horribly.

_It's not like she'd tell me..._

"I, um, made you a bento," she stammered, revealing that the wrapped up lunch box was what she had been hiding from him. "I hope that you'll accept it."

Another long, awkward silence passed between them, Misha continued to smile pleasantly, a shy blush colouring her cheeks. She held the bento out to him until he finally took it from her.

"Have a good day at school."

"Oh, yeah..." Kotarou looked away, feeling his own face grow warm. "Thanks. Y' know, for the bento."

She nodded, still smiling. "Well, I've got chores to do." She bowed. "I'll see you when I get home tonight."

"Wait! Misha!" He didn't think. He hardly knew what he was doing, but she was suddenly in his arms, and he was holding her tightly.

"Kotarou-kun...?" she questioned.

"I just want you to know that... I love you, Misha-san."

Her arms slowly slid around his back, returning the embrace. She looked up at him. She was blushing more deeply now.

He leaned down, pressing his lips lightly to hers He could feel her smile widen against his face, and she kissed him back quickly.

"You're going ot be late," she warned.

"Yeah," he agreed, not really caring.

"Shino'll be late, too, won't she?"

That earned a nervous laugh from him. She was right. He still walked Shino to school every day. If he did not leave soon, they both would be late.

* * *

Kotarou ran around the apartment, collecting together everything that he was going to need for school.

Miya watched him from the hallway with a mild interst. Her thoughts were scattered and few. He was still calling her "Misha", but at least her did not appear to be angry with her anymore. She was not about to pick apart anything and start up another fight. There was no use in doing that when she was sure that the last one had just ended.

"I'll pick you up from work tonight," Kotarou promised her. He kissed her one last time before he left. "Don't forget to lock up!"

Yeah, that fight was definitely over.

_Tomorrow night Cin will give ritual a try,_ Klaus said. Miya's eyes flickered down the short hall, to where the silver tabby was sitting. _He thinks that he can discover what the curse is, and how to reverse it. Of course, if you wish not to, you do not have to do this._

"No, no, I do," Miya reassured him. She sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, arms folded over her stomach. "I owe it to everyone for being so much trouble."

He sighed. It was not a normal sound for a cat, but she seemed to hear it a lot from him.

_How human of you, Miya... I'll never understand that._

Miya just grinned at him.

"It's okay if you don't. I don't get it, either."

* * *

I'm sorry to say that this chapter is particularly short and uneventful. Starting in chapter five, though, it's going to really pick up. I have a lot planned as far as Miya's and Klaus' adventures and pasts go. I hope that some of you have taken a peek at Pink Rose! It's going to explain, once I get farther into it, what some of the scenes in here are about.

- _Makami_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Accursed  
**Chapter Five

"Excuse me," the soft, sweet voice said, "but are you lost, Sir?"

He turned to face the small, pink-haired girl. She smiled at him. Her lavender eyes were glowing with innocence. In one hand she held a messy, obviously self-made bouquet of flowers; the other hand fidgeted almost nervously at her side, trying to fix something amiss abouther lacy dress that only she could see.

He simply stared back at her, uninterested. The only thought to fill his mind at that moment was: human, filthy human. His lip curled in disgust.

"I am not lost," he growled at her.

The child just smiled sweetly. "Oh. Okay. I just thought you looked lost." She laughed at her own mistake. "I'm sorry."

She held her bouquet of wildflowers up to him.

"I was picking them for my mommy, but please accept them."

He turned away from her now, muttering something under his breath. When he finished, he said, "just get lost, kid."

"So... you won't take them?"

* * *

Klaus gazed up lazily towards the sky. He was sitting in a bush near the Cafétricot. Miya had just started her shift and would be busy for the next few hours. Other than going to see Cin about the ritual again, he had nothing left to do, except to sit back and wait. Normally just sitting back and waiting was never a problem for Klaus. He had possessed a feline body so often that some of the habits--like being content to just sit around in the warm sunlightfor hours at a time--seemed to be rubbing off on him.

But today he could feel a strange presence hanging in the air. It was near. Watching. And there was something familiar about that presence, something strange and unfamiliar altogether. He did not like the mixed feelings.

"I'm sooo nervous about this test..."

He perked his ears and inched towards the edge of the bush he was hiding in. There were three teenagers walking towards the of the tricot. He recognized all of them, Kotarou and his friends. He hadn't seen much of them as he watched Miya, but he remembered them from his time with Shia.

"Kotarou-chan, are you ready for it?" the blond woman asked.

He shook his head. "Not really."

"It's not a hard test," the other blonde laughed. He remembered this one the most clearly. The entire time that they had been around here, that boy had been after Shia. He was a hard-worker that hid his problems and efforts from everyone around him. Shia had been the only one that he confided in at that time.

Thinking about that angelic power enduced love confession tore a low growl from Klaus' throat.

* * *

There was a hushed silence within the café, and everyone seemed huddled on one side. It only took a moment for Kotarou to realize that he could not see or hear Misha. As if she had had the same thought, Koboshi said,

"Where's Misha?"

Panicked, Kotarou yelled, "Misha?"

Someone from the huddled crowd perked up and pushed herself toher feet. She was a slightly older woman, with hazel eyes and brown hair. She was smiling pleasantly.

"The café is closed right now." Her voice was soft, and slightly reminded Kotarou of Shia. "I'm sorry, but you should leave."

"S'okay, s'okay," Misha's voice, tired and shaking, emerged from the crowd. Her nervous laughter soon followed. "I told you guys, I'm okay now."

"Misha!" Kotarou exclaimed, rushing towards her.

The crowd reluctantly parted to give him a path to her. She was sitting on a chair, holding a coffee mug in her hands. Her face lit up when she saw him, and she smiled somewhat sheepishly. A fine tremble shook her hands. She glanced down at the mug calmly and stared at it for a long moment, before quickly placing it on the table.

"I, um... I just sort of felt a little dizzy," she said softly.

He dropped down to his knees in front of her and looked at her.

"What happened?"

"I--"

"The young miss had a bit of a fainting spell," a customer, a man, hurridly explained.

Misha looked up at the man who had spoken and nodded. "Thank you, again, Sir." She tuckeda few strands of hair behind her ears. "Heh. I think everyone's overreacting..."

"Oh, so you work here, too?" The woman's voice could be heard as she spoke with Takashi.

Takashi nodded. "Yeah. My uncle owns this place."

_You were pushing yourself again,_ Kotarou thought glumly. He frowned at Misha, who, oblivious to his thoughts, just smiled back and laughed a little. _Why are you pushing yourself so hard?_

Miya laughed softly, a nervous reaction to the frown that she was recieving from Kotarou. Koboshi was standing near Takashi, and hadn't said a single word since entering the café, but she wore an expression similar to Kotarou's. Both told her that she was taking this much too lightly.

"In that case, I suppose that all of us should clear out," the woman that had been talking to Takashi said, loudly enough that everyone in the café would hear her.

There was a murmur of agreement and the crowd slowly dispursed. Miya tried to get up as well and say 'thank you' to everyone who had helped her, but Kotarou pulled her back down. It was Takashi and Koboshi who gave their thanks and led the customers out of the café. Miya could only watch everyone go and nod her own thanks to them, while she pretended that she could not feel the weight of Kotarou's gaze.

* * *

"What happened today, Miya?" Klaus asked as he, still possessing the tabby's body, jumped up onto her bed.

Miya sat with her knees drawn to her chest, on her bed. Her room would have been in absolute darkness if it hadn't been for the faint light drifting in from the streets below. She closed her eyes and pressed her face to her knees. Even if it was only an illusion, she wanted to hide herself alone in this darkness, alone.

_Miya... hiding me has become a burden on you,_ Klaus said softly. _I'm sorry. Please forgive me._

She didn't move, didn't say a word. She tried to ignore his voice. It was surprisingly easy for him to pretend that she was unaffected by his voice this time, and by the worry she could hear in it.

He sighed heavily.

_I saw Cin again today. He said that all of his preparations are going smoothly._

Miya finally lifted her head to stare at him.It was hard to understand the expression on that cat's face. She couldn't figure out how he felt about the ritual, about returning her to her angelic self. That annoyed her more than she thought it should have. Still, she knew that even when he assumed a more human form, he hid his expressions--all but anger--well behind a perfected, bland mask.

That tended to annoy her even more.

"Everyone... _They_ just want Misha back," she hissed venomously. "I'm... I'm not... _good_ enough..."

Hot tears welled up in her eyes and a loud sob tore itself from her throat. Everything that everyone dear to her was doing was just to get Misha back. Even Kotarou, who claimed that he loved her so much, refused to call her by her name. Even demons wanted her to become an angel again...

"I'm just an inconvenience."

"Miya..."

She did not see it, but rather _felt_ the bed give under the weight of a heavier body. Suddenly pale skin glowed in the moonlight, less than a foot away from her. Lilac eyes glittered like purple ice. He kept his distance from her, but it felt more different from usual. Not cold, but hesitant, as though he really did want to get closer.

"Klaus-san?" she qiestioned. Then sniffled.

"Miya, do not cry." He reached out and gently patted her head. It was the closest thing to afection that she had ever recieved from him. "I will not let you be lost. You have my word. I'll protect you."

She blinked and stared at him a while longer, open mouthed and in shock. That was definitely more than she thought he was capable of offering. That was more than he could say to anyone, much less to her. It brought a blush to her cheeks.

"Wh-What are you saying, Klaus-san...?"

* * *

"It's bad, I can't sense him. Again," the demon that had assumed Kotaroh's form complained. He turned to Kotarou and stomped his foot impatiently. "She's helping that filthy thing to hide! Why won't you do anything?"

Kotarou sighed heavily and rolled his eyes as the demon continued his rant. It was his second visit that night, and both times had escalated into yelling and screaming about Misha hiding a demon. And he was not about to do anything simply because the demon told him to. He had no proof that there was a demon involved in any of this. In fact, he was almost certain that this was just a trick by "Kotaroh".

Even if there was a demon, what was he supposed to do? He had no idea how to clease a demon, and Sasha wasn't going ot be back for another few days.

"I said it before--'no'," Kotarou snapped. He stared hard at the demon from across the livingroom. The distance wouldn't make a difference if things got out of control, but he felt a little better with it between them.

"Misha's been passing out, right?" he nearly bellowed. "Well, that's because she's feeding him just enough to lower his demonic energy--so he can hide!"

Kotarou clenched his fists and fought the urge to yell something back. Misha had always been a bit anemic after feeding Shia. What the demon was claiming made absolute sense, but...

_I won't believe it,_ he silently screamed a "Kotaroh". In a low voice, after what felt like an eternity of thought, he finally said, "if it's such a problem, then deal with it yourself."

The demon's eyes grew round. He looked as surprised as he might have if someone had struck him. Maybe something inhis words hit a nerve. But whatever it was, it worked to shut him up. The demon suddenly seemed timid and shy--exactly what Kotaroh had been in his life.

"Don't you care about her?" he asked, obviously upset.

"I do. I love her," Kotarou quietly confessed. "But there's nothing that I can do without Sasha, or without real proof that what you're saying is true. I'd do anything to protect Misha, but not because you say that this is what has to be done."

The demon snarled at Kotarou. "Fine."

Kotarou blinked, and the demon had suddenly vanished.

"A powerful demon," Kotarou murmured to himself, staring at the balcony windows, where the demon had been standing. "Why won't he do something on his own?"

* * *

Well, hello again to everyone. It's about time I got this chapter up, isn't it? You know, I have almost the entire story plotted out now. I've barely started on chapter six, though. From now on, I'm going to focus on this story. I want to get it done, and to work on Chocolate and The Deepest Shadows after that. 

By the by, if you like shounen-ai, or "boy's love", you may want to take a look at Chocolate and Chocolate Kiss.

At the beginning of this chapter, you saw it, didn't you? That little bit with Klaus and the little girl... that's what Pink Rose is based on... I am suddenly reminded that Pink Rose needs to be worked on, too. Hee hee. I'm hopefully going to get a computer next week--finally! I keep saying that I will!--so I will be able to work on my fanfiction more often. I write better when I can type it in. Pink Rose is intended to be two chapters long when it's finished. What I have posted up at this moment is just the first scene. While I'm writing it, scene by scene, that's what I'll be posting on there. When it's done, I'll put everything together, and there'll just be the two chapters.


	6. Chapter 6, Scene One

Before you get started, yes, I know that this is rather short for a chapter. But, I've decided, in the name of trying to look busier, to post up each scene as it gets written. I hope that my readers don't mind. Heh heh. I actually finished plotting this story, right to the last scene. I finished it this morning. I think it gets pretty good. Now, if only I can write it the way I see it in my mind...

**The Accursed**

"What are you saying, Klaus-san?"

Misha stared at Klaus with wide eyes. He would protect her? Klaus would? Was he even capable of doing that? Not of actually doing it, but of caring about someone so much that he would make such a promise. And for her. He was promising _her_ of all people that he would stand by her and keep her safe.

Did he mean it?

She stared at him, wondering if he meant what he had said.

Klaus nodded, reaching out and touching the side of her face gently. She blushed a deeper shade of crimson, and looked down, hoping to hide her embarrassment from him. Was it really possible that he cared about her that much? Even when he didn't cry for the woman he loved, he would promise her that?

"I will keep you safe," he said softly, staring at her with the kindest eyes she'd ever seen. He suddenly came closer, his face inches away from hers.

"Kl-Klaus-san!" she gasped, pulling back. She could barely believe her ears. What was he saying? "You... You don't mean that..."

"It's been a long time, Miya," he said softly, giving her a small smile. "I wasn't sure until recently. No, I knew, it's just that... I cannot believe that it is really you."

"It's really me...?" she repeated, tilting her head to the side. She was absolutely confused. But still, his words made her so happy. Tears filled her eyes and she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you..."

He actually hugged her back,though hesitantly. He held her lightly, as if afraid that she'd break if he held on, but at the same time he was afraid to let go.

"It's been a verylong time..."


End file.
